Method of making railway signal-torpedoes



are!) STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

METHOD OF MAKING RAILWAY- SIGNAL-TQR'PEDOES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A g 16, 1921 Original application filed nugust 31, 1916, Serial No. 117,819. Patent No. 1,359,924, dated November 23, 1920. Divided and this application -fi1ed October 25, 1920. Serial No. 419,503.

T 0 all whom it may concern: I I

Be it known that I, EDWARD A; SoHooLnY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making Railway Signal-Torpedoes, of which the following is a; specification.

I The present application is a division of applicants co-pending application filed August-31, 1916, Serial No. 117 ,819, now Pats ent No. 1,359,924, granted Nov. 23, 1920.

My invention relates to the" manufacture of explosive railway torpedoes, which are used as audible signals on railways, and

which are detachably secured in place onthe head of the railway track and are exploded by the contacting wheels of locomotives and other railway rolling stock. Theprimary object of this invention is to provide a novel method ofmaking railway torpedoes which enables the assembled parts or elements of the torpedo to be securely fastened in assembled relation, and enables a fibrous casingbeing employed to envelop the explosive charge forming one part or element of such torpedoes. Y

Further objects of the invention will be made clear hereinafter in examining the drawing and readingv the specification and appended claims. 7 p 7 Referring now to the drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is ,a plan showing one form of torpedo made in accordancewith the method forming my inventi'on.

i Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same, the section being taken on the line II--II of Fig. 1. V r

Fig. 3" is-a plan, similar to that of Fig. 1, showing a modified form of torpedo as made by the methodforming this invention.

Fig. 4 is asectional side elevation of the torpedo shown in Fig. 3, the section being taken-on the line IV IV of. Fig. 3. I Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of the torpedo shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, the section being taken on the line V-V of Fig. 3. i Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the torpedo illustrated in Figs. 3, {1, and 5.

'Fig. 7 is a sectional side elevation,.similar to 2 and 41, showing a further modiv fied form of torpedo adapted to be made in,

accordance with my improved. method.

In the accompanying drawings, the nushown in Figs. 2, 4., and 5, is flat, the con-- tainer being pre-molded andbeing composed of paper, strawboard, or similar fibrous, non-metallic material. In theconstruction shown by Figs. 2 and 4, a'second cup-shaped member 5 having a cylindrical side wall formed integrally with a top cover6 is employed to form a cap for the container 3, this cap being telescoped over the container with the side walls of the container and cap in close engagement,

so as to fit tightly and entirely inclose the explosive charge 2 when the explosive is in a finely divided state, to prevent escape of particles thereof as well as excluding moisture from the charge. The surfaces of the container and its cap may be coated with paraffin or. similar materialvwhen found nec-, essary or advisable.

The package comprising the container 3, cap 5, and explosive 2, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4-,.is secured within a holder 7, which also is formed of paper, or other fibrous material, and a flat strap 8 formed of lead, or other ductile metal is secured to the holder, this metal strap being-employed to enable the torpedo beingv easily and quickly attached to'the. head of a rail in a railway track in position for use and, when found necessary, tojpermit of the torpedo being readily removed, in condition to. again be applied to a track rail. 1

The holder 7 may have a bottom 9 joined integrally to its cylindrical side wall, as shown in Fig. 2, or the bottom'9 may be omitted and the torpedo formed as is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. c

In making the torpedoes shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the flat cylindrical disk 10, formin part of the holder, is placed in position before the end of the holder 7, is crimped or turned inwardly, as is done in fastening the assembled parts in place, so that the disk 10 will maintain the ductile metal strap 8' in position as part of the completed torpedo.

The metal strap 8 projects through the radial slots or grooves 11 in the periphery of the disk 10 in the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, as is clearly shown in the drawings.

In some cases the radial slots 11, 11 in the periphery of the disk 10 may be omitted and the metal strap 8 will project through slots 12 in tlie'side wall of the holder 7 in the manner shown'in Figs. 3, at, 5, and 6.

Otherwise'the parts will be assembled as has been described.

When the metal strap 8 is caused to extend through slots 11 in-the side wall of the holder 7, the fiber disk 10 may be dispensed with, although preferably it will be employed. I

In the construction shown in Fig. 7, the explosive charge 2, preferably a pre-molded disk or button, is placed within a container 3", formed of fibrous material. This container, which is dome-shaped or hemispherical in cross section, has a peripheral flange 14 joined integrally to the dome-shaped bottom 1. After the explosive charge 2 is placed within the container 3 a cap 5 formed of a flat disk of fibrous material is placed on top of the charge. The flat metal strap 8 is then placed in position after which a second flat liberdisklO is put in place in the container on top ofthe flat metal strap 8, this metal strap projecting through the radial slot or grooves 11 in the periphery of the disklO, as in the construction of Figs. 1 and 2. It will be obvious that the metal strap may be caused to extend through openings in the flange of the container 3 in the same manner as shown in Fig. 4, when found necessary or desirable.

In making torpedoes in accordance with my improved method, the parts will be as sembled as has been described. It will be noted that as shown in Fig. 2, the side of the outer casing 7 extends beyond the outer face of the flat disk 11.

It also will be noted that in the construction shown in Figs. 4:, 5, and 7, the edge of the holder or outer casing projects beyond the fiat face of the strap holding disk, or when a disk is not used the'fiat face of the cup-shaped member within the holder or outer casing.

In fastening the assembled parts in assembled position, this projecting edge is crimped or turned inwardly and downwardly upon itself until the edge is in tight holding engagement with the strap holding disk or flat face of the inner cup-shaped casing member so as to fasten the parts in assembled relation. Preferablythis edge is turned inwardly and downwardly by means of a r0- tary spinning tool which engages with the edge ,of the holder or outer casing. and gradually turns the edge over from the position shown by dotted lines in Figs. 2, 4, and 7, into that shown by full lines in these figures of the drawing. 1 L.

When required or found esirable, a little cement or glue will be applied to the inwardly and downwardly turned edge of the fibrous outer casing or holder to seal the joint between this edge and the member of the torpedo in engagement therewith, the glue or cement also serving to stiffen the turned-in edge and assisting in maintaining it in inturned position.

When a tubular holder 7 is employed instead of a holder having an integrally formed bottom 9, both edges of the holder will be turned inwardly in the manner shown in Figs. 4C and 5, in fastening the parts in assembled relation. It will be readily understood that the tubular holder may be employed with the construction of Figs. 1 and 2, as well as that of Figs. 3, l, 5, and 6.

Some railways prefer to employ a tread strap 18 on the torpedoes (see Figs. 1 and 2), this tread strap, which is formed of soft metal such as zinc or lead, being adapted to engage with the wheels of the rolling stock and prevent the torpedo sliding forwardly on the track rail when engaged by an ad vanoing wheel.

In most cases, however, the tread strap 13 will be omitted, but when used, it will project through the slots 1111 in the disk 10 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or through slots 12 12 in the side wall of the holder 7 as illustrated'in Figs. 3 and 4:. As the tread strap 13 extends lengthwise parallel with the rail it will rest on top of the rail head so that the wheels of the rolling stock will ride over the tread strap so as to hold the torpedo and prevent itssliding on the rail.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. By assembling and securing the assembled parts of the torpedoes in the manner shown and described, a cheap, durable, non-flying torpedo is provided and a strong and durable package is produced. The torpedoes are easily and quickly made, while liability of premature explosions in the manufacture of the torpedoes is lessened and is reduced to a minimum.

I claim 1. The method of making non-flying railway torpedoes which consists in assembling the parts of the torpedoes, enveloping the explosive charge of the torpedo within casing members and then bending the outer edge of the outer one of said members inwardly and downwardly into tight holding engagement with another part of said torpedo to thereby fasten the parts in assembled relation.

2. The method of making non-flying railway torpedoes which consists in assembling the parts of the torpedoes, enveloping the explosive charge of the torpedo within telescoping casing members and then bending the outer edge'of the outer one of said mem bers inwardly and downwardly into tight holding engagement with another part of said torpedo to thereby fasten the parts in assembled relation, and sealing the joint at the inturned edge of said outer member.

3. The method of making non-flying railway torpedoes which consists in assembling the parts of the torpedo, enveloping the eX- plosive charge of the torpedo within telescoping cup-shaped members, inserting a strap holding disk within the outer cup- Q thereby fasten the parts in assembled relation. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD A. SCHOOLEY. 

